Sticky Notes
by Mirror-of-Roses
Summary: Roman never really liked Christmas. That is, until Neo came along and changed his mind. My submission for December's MonCon.


Roman had never really gotten into the whole 'holiday season' traditions, like Christmas. It all seemed to pointless to him. Why would you spend all that money on food and presents for just one day out of so many others each year? Why not stuff yourself with food and spoil friends and family with gifts all the time? Why just the month of December to spread the joy? The whole thing didn't make everyone happy anyhow, what's the point?

All that cheery music didn't make him cheery at all, just miserable. Those carollers ringing their bells in his direction while he tried to get some take out, asking him for donations while singing simultaneously, always bothered him. He only had enough for a sandwich every time, dammit. The kids throwing snowballs at him and knocking off his hat weren't any better either.

Every Christmas he'd spent with Cinder and the others always ended up the same. Emerald and Mercury always trying to get he and Cinder under the mistletoe and get him in the holiday spirit, only for their plans to be foiled by Roman himself brooding in his room.

"Quit it, you two!" Roman would always growl at them. "I'm not kissing Cinder!"

"That's not the point," Emerald frowned, mistletoe in hand. "It's to get you in the Christmas spirit. You need to enjoy yourself!"

"How can I when there are carollers everywhere with their little jingly bells?" Roman retorted, shaking his fist at the two. "They keep wishing me a Merry Christmas but they don't even mean it!"

"Roman," Cinder addressed him, approaching the three, "she's right. Just enjoy yourself for one day... while you still can."

"No," Roman pouted, retreating to his lodgings.

This exact conversation took place every single year until Neo was thrown in the mix. Oh, how things changed...

For starters, there was a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows on his nightstand with a sticky note on it.

_Hope your holidays are happy!_

_Love, Neo_

A smiley face licking ice cream was on the bottom of the yellow paper. The hot chocolate thing was sweet of her to do, Roman thought, but it didn't change his opinion. Neo seemed to catch on an took it a step further that week.

A couple days later, there was a hot chocolate with a plate of cookies and cinnamon buns with another sticky note.

_We hope you'll have a smile on your face when you finish your treat!_

_Love, Neo, Mercury and Emerald_

He did have a smile on his face, his mind shifting to a more positive thought about the holidays.

On Christmas day, he received an amazing surprise. A hot chocolate, a plate of cookies and cinnamon buns and a new tube of mascara.

Mascara was a huge thing for this man, almost a necessity of life.

Roman's head turned and he spotted another sticky note.

_Merry Christmas! We mean it from the bottom of our hearts, Roman, unlink those carollers. Hope you like your gifts and the mascara, that was Cinder's idea._

_Love, Neo, Mercury, Cinder and Emerald_

It seemed like a small gesture, but Roman's point of view on the holiday season had just done a 180. He fully appreciated the holidays and actually felt happy that Christmas.

... Until Emerald and Mercury came around with a mistletoe, a giggling Neo in tow.

"Now that you're happy," Emerald smirked, waving the plant around, "mistletoe. Cinder. Now."

"No!" Roman spluttered. "I'm still not kissing her, no matter what you do!"

"Just this once," Mercury held up a finger. "Or else Neo will see to that herself."

"No way. Not happening in a million years."

Neo pulled his legs out from behind him, dragging him across the floor.

"Argh! Please! No! Help me!" Roman wailed, digging his nails into the floor.

"That's not good for your nails," Emerald advised with a grin. She jogged alongside them, holding up the mistletoe. "Hurry, Neo!"

While Roman wasn't very content with the circumstances, he was happy anyway.

Roman Torchwick, the classy criminal, loved Christmas.


End file.
